I'm Not My Father
by Galaxypawed
Summary: One-shot. Bramblestar is mourning Squirrelflight's death, but when a special friend returns, he finally feels a spark of warmth since his mate died. But by the end of the day, Bramblestar will be seeing his father's reflection in puddles instead of his own... -Rated T for violence!-


Bramblestar laid in his den, facing the wall. Five days. Five days since Squirrelflight had died, slaughtered by a badger. His kits, Sparkpaw and Alderpaw, tried to comfort him, but he blocked everyone out. He rarely left his den, usually just to make dirt. The Clan was a distraught. Their leader depressed, and their deputy dead. Bramblestar hadn't even named a new deputy. The Clan whispered about how StarClan had cursed them, and bad things would happen. But Bramblestar didn't care. He never spoke to anyone; not his kits, nor Lionblaze or Jayfeather.

Leafpool mourned as well, but she carried on with her duties. One time she entered his den, snapping at him to get up, and be their leader. He didn't listen.

He heard the Clan whispering about him, too, that maybe he would never leave the den, or never recover from Squirrelflight's death.

Bramblestar felt the same familiar pang of sadness as he remembered what had happened that fateful day.

 _Leafpool placed her paw on Squirrelflight's flank, the brown tabby's face a mixture of sorrow and anger. Squirrelflight's dark ginger pelt dripped with crimson blood, pooling around her body. Her neck had a deep scar on it, splattered with both her and the badger's blood._

 _Leafpool looked up, her eyes wet. "There's nothing I can do," she whispered hoarsely._

 _Bramblestar watched his mate, dread creeping up his spine._ She'll be fine, _he told himself._ Squirrelflight's strong. She'll make it. _But he couldn't shake off that horrible feeling that everything wouldn't be okay._

 _The Clan watched as well, silence filling the hollow. Jayfeather sat by Squirrelflight's side as well, unable to believe what was happening. Cinderheart leaned on Lionblaze, giving his ear a lick. The ginger tabby tom looked as if this moment was more painful than anything he had felt before. Sandstorm lifted her gray muzzle, wailing to StarClan. Rosepetal and Stormcloud, Squirrelflight's former apprentices, watched on, deep sadness filling their gazes._

 _Squirrelflight opened green her eyes a crack, and looked over to her beloved mate. "Bramblestar," she murmured._

 _"Yes?" Bramblestar breathed, crouching closer to her._

 _"I love you, Bramblestar." Squirrelflight smiled softly and reached her paw up to his amber eye shakily, wiping away his tears. She placed down her paw and closed her unusually dull green eyes._

 _"I love you too, Squirrelflight," he sobbed, knowing it was her time to go._

 _Squirrelflight's flank rose and fell once more. Her tail tip laid still on the ground. Her body was unmoving... and lifeless._

 _"Squirrelflight!" Bramblestar wailed, and he pressed his nose into her fur, staining her pelt with tears. "No..." he cried._

 _Squirrelflight was dead... his one, true, beloved mate... was dead._

Bramblestar was snapped back to reality when a voice sounded from the entrance to his den. Leafpool. He expected it to be the same "Get up, you have work to do" lecture. But what came from her mouth made him feel a spark of warmth inside.

"Bramblestar?" Leafpool murmured from the entrance. "There's someone here who wants to talk to you. Remember Jessy?"

Bramblestar looked up, and saw a dark brown she-cat wearing the same purple collar since he had last seen her. "Jessy," he whispered.

Leafpool exited the den, and Jessy stepped inside, slightly reluctant. "Hey, Bramblestar," she mewed softly. "How are you?"

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. "Not the best."

"Hey." Jessy sat next to the big tabby tom, and curled her long tail around him. "I heard about Squirrelflight's death. I'm... so sorry. How did she die?" She spoke Squirrelflight's name with very slight contempt.

"Badger attack," he mumbled.

Jessy stared at her paws for a few heartbeats. The only sound was the rain that had been falling since sunhigh. then looked up. "How about you and I take a walk? Through the forest?"

Bramblestar's brow furrowed. "I don't know, Jessy. The rain-"

"It would do you good," she insisted.

Bramblestar sighed. "Fine. But not a long one."

Jessy smiled. "Great! I'd love to spend some quality time with you again." She stood up and practically hopped outside, and Bramblestar reluctantly followed her. He squinted, getting used to the sudden light.

He followed her through the camp entrance, and felt the soft ground beneath him, stepping on leaves, twigs, and grass. Even though everything was soaking, Bramblestar still felt a rush of excitement. _I've missed this feeling..._

The two walked through ThunderClan's territory silently. Bramblestar spoke first.

"So... why are you here? I mean, in ThunderClan's territory?" he asked.

"Well," Jessy began, "I felt like visiting you. I've really missed you. Leafpool was out collecting herbs, and she saw me by the border. She told me about... Squirrelflight's death... and led me to you." She went on a little sadly. "My Twolegs have been gone for at least seven days... I don't know where they went. So I came over here to maybe... I don't know, but maybe... stay here? Permanently?"

Bramblestar felt a little flutter of happiness in his chest. "Of course you can stay!"

"Thank you," she purred. The two looked up as the rain ceased, revealing a bright yellow sun that shined through the trees onto puddles.

They sat down, Bramblestar feeling the happiest he had felt since Squirrelflight's death. Jessy staying in ThunderClan... it was a dream come true.

"Could I ask you something?" Jessy asked suddenly.

Bramblestar looked at her, surprised. "Sure."

"Well... now that... Squirrelflight's dead..." she began.

Bramblestar stiffened.

"I was maybe thinking... us?" she purred smoothly, twining her tail with his.

Bramblestar flinched away. "What?" he spat. "You think that just because Squirrelflight's gone, it means that you and I can be mates? Well, you're wrong!" He suddenly shot out a paw, slicing her cheek.

Jessy's eyes widened, her pupils dialated. "B-bramblestar..." she stammered. She started walking back slowly. "I'm sorry."

"No!" Bramblestar hissed. He launched himself at the she-cat, lashing out with both paws, claws outstretched. He raked his claws down her belly, and she shrieked. She tried fighting back, but her body was already weak from blood loss.

"Bramblestar!" she cried. "Stop!" But he didn't relent. He lashed out at her face, slicing open her nose. He dug his claws into her shoulder, blood spurting from her shoulders. He stepped back, his teeth bared. Jessy's dark brown fur dripped with crimson blood, pooling around her body. Her stomach had deep scars in it, splattered with both her and his own blood.

His claws sheathed. This reminded him all too much of Squirrelflight's death. He gasped as he realized what he had done, and leaped forward to her. "Jessy..." he whispered. "I'm sorry."

Jessy's body twitched, blood still spilling out from her body. She weakly looked up at him, and said something barely audible.

"Bramblestar... why?"

She closed her eyes, and her flank stilled. She was dead.

Bramblestar was in shock. _What have I done?_ He turned around, and saw his reflection in a puddle. His mouth was splattered with blood. His teeth were red from the vile liquid. Another puddle was to the right of him, and he saw blood smeared everywhere on his dark brown tabby pelt.

 _No... no! I've turned into my father!_


End file.
